Analog (HD-TVI/CVI/AHD) cameras connect to a DVR over coaxial cable. They are cheaper, simpler to install, and when upgrading an old analog system you can reuse existing cabling. Modern HD-TVI cameras deliver 2–5 MP — enough for a small office or shop.
IP cameras connect via network cable (Cat5e/Cat6) to a PoE switch — one cable carries both power and signal. Resolution is 4–8 MP and up, and each camera has its own intelligence: motion analytics, line crossing, distinguishing people from vehicles, plate recognition. Cable runs are up to 100 m, but switches let you extend to any distance.
When analog: up to 8 cameras, tight budget, coax already in place, no analytics needed. When IP: more than 8 cameras, high quality and analytics required, expansion planned, the office already has network infrastructure.
On price: the analog camera unit is cheaper, but in an IP system the PoE switch replaces power supplies and extra cables, and installation is faster. On projects with 16+ cameras the total cost difference is negligible, and IP is an investment in the future.
Practical tip: look not at megapixels but at the lens (2.8 mm — wide, 4–6 mm — longer reach), IR range, and WDR (handling of high-contrast light). If a camera above the entrance faces the sun, faces become dark blobs without WDR.
Innoline visits the site and picks the camera type for each point individually — one project often uses both technologies.
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